Shift
by LizzieHouse
Summary: One of Sam's friends is charged with a murder he couldn't have committed. Sam, Dean, and Maria Winchester race to find out if he's a murderer or if he really could have been in two places at once. Based on the Skin episode of Supernatural.
1. Chapter 1

Sam, Dean, and Maria Winchester are parked outside a gas station. Dean in the driver's seat, Sam in the front passenger seat, and Maria sprawled out in the backseat, listening to Dean speak and interjecting 'mhmms' at his words.

"Alright, I figure we'd hit Tucumcari by lunch, then head south, hit Bisbee by midnight," he says, then changes course when he notices Sam is not responding. "Sam wears women's underwear."

"I've been listenin', I'm just busy," Sam says, checking his email on his phone.

"Busy doin' what?" Maria asks, leaning forward in the back seat to look over Sam's shoulder.

"Reading emails," Sam replies, not looking up at either of his siblings. Dean gets out of the Impala and starts to fill up the gas tank.

"Emails from who?" Maria asks curiously, leaning up further to get a better look at the phone in Sam's hands.

"From my friends at Stanford," Sam tells her, moving his phone out of Maria's sight. Maria is taken aback and gives him a strange look, but it's Dean who replies.

"You're kidding," Dean says, leaning in the window of the car to talk to Sam. "You still keep in touch with your college buddies?"

"Why not?" Sam asks, but it's more of a statement than a question.

"Well, what exactly do you tell 'em?" Dean asks curiously. "You know, about where you've been, what you've been doin'?"

"I tell 'em I'm on a road trip with my big brother and sister. I tell 'em I needed some time off after Jess."

"Oh, so you lie to 'em," Maria states.

"No," Sam says to her. "I just don't tell 'em…everything."

"Yeah, that's called lying," Maria says with a smirk, but Dean finishes.

"I mean, hey, man, I get it. Telling the truth is far worse."

"So, what am I supposed to do, just cut everybody out of my life?" Sam asks, looking from Dean to Maria. They both shrug. "You're serious?"

"Look, it sucks, but in a job like this, you can't get close to people, period," Maria tells him, putting her hand on his shoulder. "I learned that one the hard way."

"You're kind of anti-social, both of you," Sam tells them in amazement. "You know that?"

"Yeah, whatever," Dean says, finishing filling up the Impala and getting back in the front seat. Maria shoves Sam's shoulder as he goes back to reading his emails.

"God…" Sam says quietly.

"What?" Maria and Dean chorus.

"In this email from this girl, Rebecca Warren, one of those friends of mine—"

"Is she hot?" Dean interjects. Sam ignores him, but Maria smacks him in the back of the head.

"I went to school with her, and her brother, Zack," Sam continues. "She says Zack's been charged with murder. He's been arrested for killing his girlfriend. Rebecca says he didn't do it, but it sounds like the cops have a pretty good case."

"Dude, what kind of people are you hangin' out with?" Dean asks as Maria gives Sam a concerned look.

"No, man, I know Zack. He's no killer."

"Well, maybe you know Zack as well as he knows you," Maria reasons.

"They're in St. Louis. We're going," Sam decides.

"Look," Dean begins with a small chuckle of disbelief, "sorry 'bout your buddy, okay? But this does not sound like our kind of problem."

"It is our problem," Sam argues. "They're my friends."

"St. Louis is four hundred miles behind us, Sam," Dean counters. Sam and Dean exchange a look while Maria sighs. She knows exactly how this is going to go: Dean will be firm, Sam will use the puppy eyes, and Dean will give in, just like he always does. As she predicted, a few seconds later they are pulling out of the gas station and on their way to St. Louis.

* * *

Sam knocks on the front door of his friend's house. Dean and Maria stand slightly behind on either side of him. Rebecca opens the door and sees the Winchesters standing there.

"Oh my god, Sam!" she cries excitedly.

"Well, if it isn't little Becky," Sam says with a smile.

"You know what you can do with that little Becky crap," she replies with a smile. She and Sam share a hug.

"I got your email."

"I didn't think that you would come here," Rebecca says. Dean steps forward, followed by Maria.

"Dean. Older brother," he says, shaking Rebecca's hand.

"Hi," she replies uncertainly.

"Hi," Dean says with a charming smile. Maria moves in front of Dean, shooting him a look before extending her hand to Rebecca.

"Hi, I'm Maria. Middle sister," she says, smiling. Rebecca reaches out for Maria's hand more readily, returning her warm smile.

"We're here to help," Sam says. "Whatever we can do."

"Come in," Rebecca says, leading them inside. Maria walks in behind Rebecca, followed by Sam, and finally Dean, who shuts the door behind them.

"Nice place," Dean comments as the three Winchesters look around.

"It's my parents'," Rebecca replies. "I was just crashing here for the long weekend when everything happened. I decided to take the semester off. I'm gonna stay until Zack's free."

"Where are your folks?" Sam asks.

"They live in Paris for half the year, so they're on their way home now for the trial," answers Rebecca as they enter the kitchen. "Do you three want a beer or something?"

"Hey—" Dean begins, but Maria interrupts him, putting her hand on his shoulder.

"No, thanks. So, tell us what happened."

"Well, um, Zack came home, and he found Emily tied to a chair. And she was beaten up and bloody, and she wasn't breathing," Rebecca tells them as she begins to cry. "So, he called 911, and the police—they showed up, and they arrested him. But, the thing is, the only way that Zack could've killed Emily is if he was in two places at the same time. The police—they have a video. It's from the security tape from across the street. And it shows Zack coming home at 10:30. Now, Emily was killed just after that, but I swear, he was here with me, having a few beers until at least after midnight."

"You know, maybe we could see the crime scene. Zack's house," Sam says.

"We could," Dean and Maria say in unison.

"Why?" Rebecca asks. "I mean, what could you do?"

"Well, me, not much," Sam says soothingly. "But Dean and Maria are cops."

"Detectives, actually," Maria laughs.

"Really?" Rebecca asks. Dean and Maria both nod. "Where?"

"Bisbee, Arizona," Dean replies easily. "But we're off-duty now."

"You guys, it's so nice to offer, but I just—I don't know," Rebecca says uneasily.

"Bec, look, I know Zack didn't do this," Sam tells her consolingly. "Now, we have to find a way to prove that he's innocent."

"Okay. I'm gonna go get the keys," Rebecca decides, walking down the hallway, leaving Sam, Dean, and Maria alone in the kitchen.

"Oh, yeah, Sammy," Maria hisses, "you're a real straight shooter with your friends."

"Look, Zack and Becky need our help," Sam defends himself.

"I just don't think this is our kind of problem," Dean argues.

"Two places at once? We've looked into less," Sam counters. Dean and Maria look at each other, then look back at Sam, both of them clearly at a loss.


	2. Chapter 2

Dean, Sam, Maria, and Rebecca get out of the car in front of Zack's house. They can see the police tape in front of the door as they approach. Rebecca looks uneasily at the two older Winchesters.

"You sure this is okay?" she asks nervously.

"Yeah. Me and Maria here _are_ officers of the law," Dean replies easily as Maria gives Rebecca an encouraging smile, putting her hand on her back briefly. They walk into house and Sam, Dean, and Maria look around. They see blood smeared all over the furniture and walls. Rebecca stands on the porch, nervous about seeing the crime scene.

"Bec, you wanna wait outside?" Sam asks her kindly.

"No, I wanna help," Rebecca replies, ducking under the police tape and entering the house.

"Tell us what else the police said," Maria says to Rebecca, coming to stand beside her as her brothers look around.

"Well, there's no sign of a break-in," Rebecca says softly, her eyes filling with tears. "They say that Emily let her attacker in. The lawyers—they're already talking about plea bargain. Oh, God…"

Rebecca begins to sob quietly as she looks around the blood-stained living room. Maria puts a consoling hand on her back and rubs it in small circles, whispering words of encouragement to her. Sam comes over to them when he hears Rebecca's sobbing.

"Look, Bec, if Zack didn't do this, it means someone else did. Any idea who?" Sam asks her. Rebecca shakes her head, but remembers something after a few seconds.

"Um, there was something, about a week before. Somebody broke in here and stole some clothes—Zack's clothes. The police—they don't think it's anything. I mean, we're not that far from downtown. Sometimes people get robbed," Rebecca says. Sam walks away to continue his examination of the house. Maria pats Rebecca on the back and then goes to join Dean, who has moved to the front door. He opens it and he and Maria see the neighbor's dog barking loudly. Rebecca hears the barking and comes up behind the oldest Winchesters. "You know, that used to be the sweetest dog."

"What happened?" Dean asks her.

"He just changed," Rebecca replies.

"Do you remember when he changed?" Maria asks.

"I guess around the time of the murder," Rebecca tells her. Dean and Maria look at Rebecca and then at each other before going to join Sam in the hallway.

"So, the neighbor's dog went psycho right around the time Zack's girlfriend was killed," Maria tells Sam.

"Animals can have a sharp sense of the paranormal," Sam states.

"Yeah, maybe Fido saw something," Dean adds.

"So, you think maybe this is our kind of problem?" Sam asks his older siblings.

"No, probably not," Maria answers. "But we should look at the security tape, you know, just to make sure."

"Yeah," Sam agrees.

"Yeah," Dean nods as Rebecca walks over to them. "So, the tape. The security footage—you think maybe your lawyers could get their hands on it, 'cause we just don't have that kind of jurisdiction."

"I've already got it. I didn't wanna say something in front of the cops," Rebecca replies. Dean and Maria laugh. "I stole it off the lawyer's desk. I just had to see it for myself."

"All right," Dean and Maria reply in unison. The four of them leave the house and pile into the Impala.

* * *

Sam, Dean, Maria, and Rebecca are in Rebecca's living room watching the security footage. Dean and Sam are standing beside the couch that is occupied by Maria and Rebecca.

"Here he comes," Rebecca says, gesturing to the television as the tape shows Zack walking into his house.

"22:04, that's just after ten," Dean says as he notices the timestamp on the tape. "You said time of death was about 10:30."

"Our lawyers hired some kind of video expert. He says the tape's authentic. It wasn't tampered with," Rebecca states. Sam notices something on the tape and turns to Rebecca.

"Hey, Bec, can we take those beers now?"

"Oh, sure," she replies, getting off the couch and heading to the kitchen.

"Hey," Sam calls. Rebecca turns around. "Maybe some sandwiches, too?"

"What do you think this is, Hooters?" Rebecca says as she walks into the kitchen and out of sight.

"I wish," Dean says, but Maria interrupts him.

"What is it?" she asks her younger brother.

"Check this out," Sam says, rewinding the tape. He plays it frame-by-frame. In one of the frames, Zack is looking directly at the camera. His eyes shine silver. Sam pauses the tape.

"Well, maybe it's just a camera flare," Dean reasons.

"That's not like any camera flare I've ever seen," Sam replies. "You know, a lot of cultures believe that a photograph can catch a glimpse of the soul."

"Right," Dean and Maria reply.

"Remember that dog that was freakin' out? Maybe he saw this thing. Maybe this is some kind of dark double of Zack's, something that looks like him but isn't him."

"Like a Doppelganger," Maria supplies.

"Yeah," Sam nods. "It'd sure explain how he was two places at once."

* * *

Sam, Dean, and Maria are parked in front of Zack's house. It's early in the morning and Maria is still groggy. She rubs her eyes as she gets out of the backseat, taking the coffee that Dean offers to her. She takes a sip before speaking.

"Alright, so what are we doing here at 5:30 in the morning?" she asks Sam as Dean nods.

"I realized something," Sam tells them. "The videotape shows the killer going in, but not coming out."

"So, he came out the back door?" Dean asks as he and Maria lean against the hood of the Impala.

"Right. So, there should be a trail to follow," Sam replies, thinking. "A trail the police would never pursue."

"'Cause they think the killer never left. And they caught your friend Zack inside," Dean begins, but Maria finishes.

"I still don't know what we're doin' here at 5:30 in the morning," she says, taking another sip of coffee. Sam looks at the outside of the building and sees blood smeared on a telephone pole. He takes a step closer and gestures to it.

"Blood. Somebody came this way," Sam says.

"Yeah, but the trail ends. I don't see anything over here," Dean says as an ambulance drives past them. The siblings exchange a look and walk over to a nearby apartment, where there is an Asian man being handcuffed and put into the back of a police car.

"What happened?" Maria asks a woman as they approach the scene.

"He tried to kill his wife. Tied her up and beat her," the woman replies.

"Really?" Sam asks, interested.

"I used to see him going to work in the morning. He'd wave, say hello. He seemed like such a nice guy," the woman states. They watch as the police car drives away. Dean, Maria, and Sam exchange another look, silently agreeing to return to the scene later.


	3. Chapter 3

Maria, Sam, and Dean return to the scene of the crime later that day. Sam and Maria are looking in the garbage cans around the side of the house, checking them for possible clues. They look at each other and shake their heads before heading around to the front of the house. Dean comes up behind them, slightly out of breath.

"Hey," he says as he catches up to his younger siblings. Maria and Sam both turn around. "Remember when I said this wasn't our kind of problem?"

"Yeah," Sam and Maria say in unison.

"Definitely our kind of problem," Dean states.

"What'd you find out?" Maria asks, taking a step closer to her older brother.

"Well, I just talked to the patrolman who was first on the scene, heard this guy, Alex's story. Apparently the dude was driving home from a business trip when his wife was attacked."

"So, he was two places at once," Sam says.

"Exactly," Dean says. "Then he sees himself in the house, police think he's a nutjob."

"Two dark doubles attacking loved ones in the exact same way," Sam muses.

"Could be the same thing doing it, too," Maria interjects. Dean nods and Sam thinks for a second before answering.

"Shapeshifter?" Sam asks. Maria and Dean shrug. "Something that can make itself look like anyone?"

"Every culture in the world has a shapeshifter lore," Maria continues. "You know, legends of creatures who can transform themselves into animals or other men."

"Right," Sam says, nodding. "Skinwalkers, werewolves."

"We've got two attacks within blocks of each other," Dean states. "I'm guessing we've got a shapeshifter prowlin' the neighborhood."

"Let me ask you guys this—in all this shapeshifter lore, can any of them fly?" Sam asks.

"Not that I know of," Dean answers.

"Well, me and Maria picked up a trail here," Sam starts. "Someone ran out the back of this building and headed off this way."

"Just like his friend's house," Maria adds.

"Yeah," Sam says, nodding to his sister. "And, just like at Zack's house, the trail suddenly ends. I mean, whatever it is just disappeared."

"Well, there's another way to go—down," Dean says, gesturing to the manhole between them.

* * *

Dean climbs down the manhole, followed by Sam and finally Maria. They look around the dark, dripping place, using their flashlights to see in the darkness. Maria grimaces at the slight smell.

"I bet this runs right by Zack's house, too," Sam says. "The shapeshifter could be using the sewer system to get around."

"I think you're right. Look at this," Dean says, pointing to a pile of blood and skin on the ground a few inches from Maria's feet. She looks down and jumps away from it, clinging onto Sam's arm as all three Winchesters try not to throw up.

"Is this from his victims?" Sam asks, disgusted. Dean bends down and takes out his pocketknife, poking the skin and holding some of it up with the knife.

"You know, I just had a sick thought," Dean says, examining the bloody goo on his knife. "When the shapeshifter changes shape—maybe it sheds."

"That is sick," Maria says weakly, burying her face into Sam's sleeve. Dean lets the bloody skin goo slide off his knife and land back onto the pile with a splat that makes Maria cling tighter to Sam's arm. "Ughhhh."

* * *

After climbing out of the manhole, Sam, Dean, and Maria walk over to the Impala. Dean opens up the trunk and takes out some guns, handing two of them to Maria who is still trying to get the sight and smell of the shed skin out of her mind. Dean puts a hand on her shoulder before speaking.

"Well, one thing we learned from Dad, is that no matter what kind of shapeshifter is, there's one sure way to kill it."

"Silver bullet to the heart," Maria supplies, smiling slightly at Dean.

"That's right," Dean replies, returning Maria's smile. Sam's cellphone rings and he answers it.

"This is Sam…We're near Zack's, we're just checking some things out….What are you talking about?...Why would you do that?...Bec—…We're trying to help…Bec, I'm sorry, but—"

"I hate to say it, but that's exactly what I'm talking about," Dean says as he and Maria walk over to a disappointed Sam as he hangs up his phone. "You lie to your friends because if they knew the real you, they'd be freaked. It's just—it'd be easier if—"

"If I was like you two," Sam finishes.

"Hey, Sammy, like it or not, we are not like other people," Maria says, excited by the thought of the hunt. "But I'll tell you one thing. This whole gig—it ain't without perks."

Maria smiles, holding up the two guns Dean handed to her. Sam reaches out and takes one of them from her, stowing it in the back of his jeans. The three Winchesters walk back toward the sewers to find the shifter.

* * *

"I think we're close to its lair," Dean says as they shine their flashlights around the sewers again, this time with their guns.

"Why do you say that?" Sam asks.

"Because there's another puke-inducing pile next to Maria's face," Dean finishes, smiling slightly. Maria turns around quickly and her ponytail nearly gets into the bloody pile of skin on the pipe next to her.

"Oh, God!" Maria says disgustedly, covering her mouth with her elbow and walking quickly away. She stands beside Dean.

"Looks like it's lived here for a while," Dean says as they notice a pile of clothes in the corner.

"Who knows how many murders he's gotten away with?" Maria says a bit sadly. Sam turns around and sees the shapeshifter behind Maria and Dean. He's still in the form of the Asian man.

"Hey!" Sam shouts. Dean and Maria turn around. Dean gets punched by the shapeshifter and falls on his left arm hard. The shifter then hits Maria in the head, knocking her down. She hits her head hard on one of the pipes and slides to the ground, unconscious. The shifter turns and runs. Sam shoots at it a few times, but misses. He moves over to Maria and Dean.

"Get the son of a bitch!" Dean says, getting up. He and Sam follow the shapeshifter. "Maria will be fine here; we need to get that thing before it gets someone else."

Sam and Dean follow the shifter out of the manhole and onto the street. They look around for the monster, but don't see it.

"All right, let's split up," Sam says.

"All right, I'll meet you around the other side," Dean replies.

"All right," Sam nods, and they take off in separate directions.

* * *

Down in the sewers, Maria comes to. She blinks a couple times before rubbing the left side of her head and sitting up slowly. The simple movement makes her want to throw up. She looks around, but can't see anything other than the pile of clothes her flashlight shines on and the stars on the edges of her vision. Her head is pounding. That shifter was stronger than she expected. Maria gets on her hands and knees and crawls toward the flashlight, feeling for her gun along the way. She finds her gun and pauses to stow it in the back of her jeans, and to catch her breath, before continuing to crawl toward her flashlight. Maria grabs her flashlight and uses a nearby pipe to help herself stand up, making sure the pipe is free from the shed skin of the shifter.

"Sam? Dean?" Maria calls, leaning heavily against the rusty pipe. There is no reply. She sighs, knowing that they went after the shifter and probably left her alone down in the sewers. Maria walks toward the manhole, unsteady on her feet, and climbs up the ladder, pausing every few seconds to catch her breath and keep from throwing up. She puts her flashlight on the ground and tries to heave herself out of the sewers when Sam comes running up to her.

"Maria! Oh, God, are you okay?" he asks, bending down to help her out of the manhole. "I'm sorry we left you like that. We had to get the shifter. It was all Dean's fault; he said you'd be fine."

"I'm fine, Sammy," Maria says, picking up her flashlight and stumbling a bit into her younger brother. Sam puts his arm around her waist to steady her as Maria puts a hand to her head. "My head hurts a little and I'm a little dizzy, but I've had worse. Where is Dean, anyway?"

"We split up to find the shifter."

"Right," Maria replies slowly, blinking a few times to try to clear the stars from her vision. "You didn't happen to kill the damn thing, did you?"

"No luck," Sam says, shaking his head.

"Hey," Dean calls from behind them both. Sam and Maria both turn around, Maria clutching her head after she does. "Anything?"

"No. He's gone," Sam replies, still holding Maria up. Dean notices their strange stance and looks at Maria.

"You okay, Maria? That fall looked pretty nasty."

"I'm okay…I think," Maria replies, feeling a bit confused. Dean looks at her for a second before speaking.

"All right, let's get back to the car," Dean says. Sam and Maria cross the street first. Dean stops to wait for a passing car before joining them by the Impala.

"You think he found another way underground?" Sam asks, leaning Maria against the side of the Impala and making sure she's steady. Maria blinks slowly a few times, her vision going a bit dark.

"Yeah, probably. You got the keys?" Dean asks. Sam stops and thinks for a few seconds before turning around.

"Hey, didn't Dad once face a shapeshifter in San Antonio?"

"Oh, that was Austin," Dean replies. "It turned out not to be a shapeshifter, it was a thought form. A psychic projection, remember?"

"Oh, right. Here ya go," Sam says, throwing Dean the keys and walking toward Maria. Dean opens the trunk and laughs. "Don't move!"

Dean turns and sees Sam pointing a gun at him.

"What have you done with him?" Sam asks angrily.

"Dude, chill," he replies. "It's me, all right?"

"No, I don't think so," Sam says, taking a step toward him. "Where's our brother?"

"Sam?" Maria calls softly. She's seeing stars again and is very confused. She blinks slowly a few times and starts sliding down the car a few inches.

"You're about to shoot him," Dean replies. "Sam, calm down."

"You caught those keys with your left. Your shoulder was hurt."

"Yeah, it's better. What do you want me to do, cry?"

"Sammy?" Maria calls even softer. She closes her eyes completely now and slides a few inches further down the Impala. Nobody hears her.

"You're not my brother," Sam says, aiming the gun at Dean's head again.

"Why don't you pull the trigger, then? Hmm? 'Cause you're not sure. Dude, you know me!"

"Don't," Sam says. Dean pauses before hitting Sam twice with the crowbar he picks up out of the trunk. Sam falls to the ground, unconscious. Dean then turns to Maria, but he doesn't have to hit her. She has already slumped into a sitting position on the ground against the Impala, unconscious.


	4. Chapter 4

Sam comes to in a dark and dusty room. The shifter's lair. He looks around for Maria and sees her still unconscious, tied up against a wooden post. Sam tries to get up but is stopped by the ropes around his neck and hands keeping him tied to his own wooden post. The shapeshifter notices Sam struggling and walks over to him, backhanding him across the face. Sam groans in pain.

"Where is he?" Sam asks murderously. "Where's Dean?"

"I wouldn't worry about him," Shifter Dean replies. "I'd worry about you. And your sister."

"Don't you hurt her," Sam warns dangerously. "Where is he?"

"You don't really wanna know," the shifter chuckles, pacing. "I swear, the more I learn about you and your family—I thought I came from a bad background."

"What do you mean, learn?" Sam asks. The shifter stops, grabbing his head and grimacing in pain. Sam looks confusedly at the shapeshifter, who stops suddenly and looks back at Sam.

"He's sure got issues with you. You got to go to college. He had to stay home with your sister," the shifter pauses, then smiles Dean's smile before continuing. "I mean, I had to stay home with our sister. With Dad. You don't think I had dreams of my own? But Dad and Maria needed me. Where the hell were you?"

"Where is my brother?" Sam asks slowly. The shapeshifter leans in closer to Sam, getting right in his face before speaking.

"I am your brother. See, deep down, I'm just jealous. You got friends. You could have a life. Me? I know I'm a freak. And sooner or later, everybody's gonna leave me. I'm sure little Maria here feels the same…"

"What are you talking about?" Sam asks as the shifter backs away.

"You left. Hell, I did everything Dad asked me to, and he ditched me, too. No explanation, nothin', just poof. Left me and Maria with your sorry ass. But, still, this life? It's not without its perks," the shifter laughs Dean's laugh, remembering Maria's words from earlier. "I meet the nicest people. Like little Becky. You know, Dean would bang her if he had the chance. Let's see what happens."

The shapeshifter laughs Dean's laugh again and picks up a sheet off a nearby box. He throws the sheet over Sam and leaves the dingy room. As soon as the shifter is out of earshot, Sam works on getting out of his ropes, still covered with the sheet.

"Damn it," Sam curses as the rope won't loosen. He pauses, hearing shuffling from another part of the room and then a cough.

"That better be you and Maria, Sam, and not that freak of nature," Dean's voice calls from the direction of the noise. Sam laughs, relieved to hear his real older brother's voice. He shrugs the sheet off of himself.

"Yeah, it's us. I think Maria's still out, though," Sam replies. Dean manages to get his own sheet off of himself and starts to undo his own ropes. Sam is finally able to see Dean. "He went to Rebecca's, lookin' like you."

"Well, he's not stupid. He picked the handsome one," Dean replies. Sam looks at him confusedly before continuing to work on loosening his own ropes. A soft groan comes from Maria's direction, but she doesn't open her eyes. Both brothers look in the direction of the noise and see Maria is still unconscious.

"Yeah, that's the thing. He didn't just look like you, he was you. Or he was becoming you," Sam says. Dean finally manages to get out of his bonds.

"What do you mean?" Dean asks, still sitting.

"I don't know, it was like he was downloading your thoughts and memories."

"You mean, like the Vulcan mind meld?" Dean asks incredulously.

"Yeah, something like that. I mean, maybe that's why he doesn't just kill us," Sam answers. Dean gets up and walks over to help Sam untie his ropes.

"Maybe he needs to keep us alive. Psychic connection."

"Hands," Sam says, telling him where to untie. "Yeah."

Finally free, Sam stands up and puts his hand on Dean's shoulder. They look at each other for a moment before both rushing over to Maria's side. Sam immediately starts untying her bonds. She groans again and slowly lifts her head as Dean puts his hands on her face gently, checking for wounds. Maria's eyes flutter open and she looks at Dean.

"Dean?" she asks quietly, still very confused. "What…?"

"Shhh. Don't talk now," Dean says, gently stroking her hair. "I'm here now. It's really me."

"We're gonna get you out of here," Sam says, finally finished with the ropes. "Can you stand up?"

"I…I think so," Maria answers. Dean takes her right arm and wraps it around his shoulders while Sam does the same with her left. They lift her to her feet and support her as they walk toward the large window that is their only exit. Dean lifts Maria up as Sam climbs out the first story window. Dean then hands Maria through the window to Sam, who puts her back on her feet and supports all her weight. Dean climbs out the window and helps Sam support their sister.

"Come on. We gotta find a phone, call the police," Sam says.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. You're gonna put an APB out on me," Dean says. Sam shrugs.

"Sorry."

"This way," Dean says as they start rushing down the street as quickly as they can with Maria between them, fighting for consciousness.

"We gotta get her to a hospital, man," Sam says worriedly as he glances at his sister. "She's barely conscious."

"I'm…" Maria begins before she completely loses consciousness again. Sam and Dean both stop to catch her before she hits the ground.

"Hospital," Sam and Dean say in unison. Dean lifts Maria into his arms and carries her while they walk to the hospital they had seen on their way to Rebecca's. As they get closer to the building, Sam has a sudden thought. He stops in front of Dean, causing him to stop, too.

"Maybe I should take her in. You probably already have a price on your head and we can't risk you getting caught taking a hurt girl into the hospital. It's kinda suspicious," Sam says. Dean looks at Sam and then at Maria. He nods.

"You're right. Just make sure they don't hurt her," Dean says protectively. He passes Maria over to Sam. "You got her?"

"I got her. Just hide out in this alley until I get back. It shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes," Sam says. Dean nods. Sam walks toward the hospital, carrying Maria like a small child. He opens the doors with his shoulder and a nurse immediately rushes over to them. Sam tells her a made-up story about how she slipped in the kitchen and hit her head on the marble countertop. The nurse buys the story and helps Sam place Maria into a wheelchair. The nurse admits Maria after Sam signs a few papers. He looks at his watch and back at the nurse.

"Crap, I've gotta get to work," Sam says after Maria is taken back to get an MRI. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

The nurse nods and Sam rushes out the doors of the hospital. He looks around and then walks back down the alley to Dean.

"Is she okay?" Dean asks worriedly. Sam shrugs.

"They took her back for an MRI. I'm sure she's fine, Dean. But we need to get to Rebecca's and see if she's okay," Sam answers. Dean nods and the Winchester brothers run down the street toward Rebecca's house.


	5. Chapter 5

Sam and Dean pause in front of a store window, where the local news is being shown on the display televisions. The reporter tells about the anonymous tip that led police to Rebecca's house, where the S.W.A.T. team found her bound and gagged. They said her attacker was about twenty-four to thirty years of age and was discovered hiding in her home. A sketch of Dean flashes up on the screen.

"Man! That's not even a good picture," Dean says disappointedly, gesturing to the sketch on the televisions. Sam looks around, making sure nobody recognizes Dean.

"It's good enough," he says, walking away quickly.

"Man!" Dean says again, following Sam down an alley. He steps in a puddle and curses, wondering how this day could possibly get any worse.

"Come on," Sam says, pausing to wait for Dean to catch up. "They said attempted murder. At least we know—"

"I didn't kill her," Dean finishes, catching up to Sam. They continue walking.

"We'll check with Rebecca in the morning, see if she's all right."

"All right, but first I wanna find that handsome devil and kick the holy crap out of him," Dean says angrily. They both stop.

"We have no weapons. No silver bullets."

"Sam, the guy's walkin' around with my face. He's the reason our sister's in the hospital right now, okay, it's a little personal. I wanna find him."

"I know, Dean. She's my sister, too. Where do we look?"

"Well, we could start with the sewers," Dean suggests.

"We have no weapons. He stole our guns, we need more," Sam says, then pauses, thinking. "The car?"

"I'm betting he drove over to Rebecca's."

"The news said he fled on foot. I bet it's still parked there."

"The thought of him driving my car," Dean says, disgusted and angry.

"All right, come on," Sam says as they start walking toward Rebecca's again.

"It's killin' me,"

"Let it go."

* * *

Dean and Sam finally arrive at Rebecca's house. They walk around the side of the house, and see the Impala parked out front. Dean sighs in relief.

"Oh, there she is! Finally, something went right tonight. Oh, crap," Dean says as a police car parks next to the Impala. He and Sam turn around, but they see another police car parked a few yards away from them. Dean starts moving toward the fence, gesturing for Sam to follow him. "This way, this way."

"You go," Sam says. "I'll hold 'em off."

"What are you talking about?" Dean asks incredulously as he starts to climb the fence. "They'll catch you."

"Look, they can't hold me. Just go, keep out of sight. Meet me at Rebecca's. Dean," Sam says. Dean stops climbing the fence and turns around. "Stay out of the sewers alone."

Dean doesn't say anything as he hops over the fence and out of sight. Sam yells after him.

"I mean it!"

"Yeah, yeah," Dean says from the other side of the fence. The police surround Sam.

"Don't move! Keep your hands where I can see 'em," an officer says. Sam raises his hands in the air.

* * *

"I'm sorry, Sam. But you know me—I just can't wait," Dean says, opening the trunk of the Impala and grabbing a gun, some silver bullets, and a flashlight. He puts the gun in the back of his jeans and closes the trunk, walking back toward the sewers.

Dean climbs down the manhole and into the sewers. He looks around, shining his flashlight. He walks into a chamber filled with candles and chains. He looks down and sees more piles shed skin on the ground. Dean hears a shuffling noise and moves to another part of the sewers. He sees a moving figure covered with a white sheet. He approaches it and removes the sheet. It's Rebecca with her hands and feet bound with rope.

"Rebecca?"

* * *

Sam is sitting in Rebecca's living room having a beer. Rebecca chats with him.

"So, say this shapeshifter is real. By the way, you know you're crazy? But, um, say it is real. How do you stop it?" she asks, standing and replacing Sam's empty beer bottle with a full one.

"Thanks," Sam says, sighing. "Silver bullet to the heart."

"You are crazy," Rebecca says, chuckling. She hits Sam over the head with his empty beer bottle. He falls over, unconscious.

* * *

"What happened?" Dean asks, untying Rebecca's ropes. She is crying.

"I was walking home, and everything just went white. Someone hit me over the head, and I wound up here just in time to see that thing turn into me. I don't know, how is that even possible?" she says, still crying. Dean finishes untying her.

"Okay, okay. It's okay. Come on. Can you walk?" Dean asks her. Rebecca nods. "Okay, we've gotta hurry. Sam went to see you."

"Where's Maria?" Rebecca asks, looking around for her.

"She's in the hospital. She'll be all right," Dean says hurriedly. "Come on. We've gotta go."

* * *

The shapeshifter is back in the form of Dean. He finishes tying up Sam's hands and feet in the living room, then starts pacing around the kitchen.

"What are you gonna do to me?" Sam asks.

"Oh, I'm not gonna do anything," the shifter replies with Dean's sly smile. "Dean will, though."

"They'll never catch him."

"Oh, doesn't matter. Murder in the first of his own brother? And then his sister, if she isn't dead already? He'll be hunted the rest of his life," he says, picking up a sharp knife and examining it. He walks back into the living room, still holding the knife. He pours himself a drink. "I must say, I will be sorry to lose this skin. Your brother's got a lot of good qualities. You should appreciate him more than you do."

The shifter pauses, holding the drink out in a toast to Sam. "Cheers," he says, taking a drink and sticking the knife into the edge of the pool table behind Sam, who lifts his leg and kicks the shifter, who falls to the ground. Sam sits up quickly and moves his hands up and down the blade of the knife, freeing his hands. The shapeshifter heaves himself up, and Sam takes the knife, swinging it at him. The shifter grabs Sam's arm before the knife connects with him and twists it, causing Sam to fall to the ground.

"Oh, you son of a bitch," the shapeshifter says. He and Sam start fighting again. Sam attempts to pin the shifter down. "Not bad, little brother."

"You're not him," Sam says angrily as they continue to fight. The shifter throws Sam into a bookshelf, which collapses on top of Sam.

"Even when we were kids, I always kicked your ass. Hell, Maria could kick your ass, too," the shapeshifter taunts. He grabs a pool cue and swings it at Sam, but he misses and hits a light fixture instead. They both fall onto a coffee table and the shifter pins Sam down onto the floor, choking him.

"Hey!" Dean calls. The shifter looks up and sees Dean. He gets off of Sam. Dean aims his gun at the shapeshifter with his face and shoots him twice in the heart. The shapeshifter stumbles and falls backwards, dead. Rebecca walks in her living room and sees Sam on the floor.

"Sam!" she says, rushing over to him. Dean walks over to the body of the shapeshifter and sees his amulet necklace around the shifter's neck. Dean yanks it from around his neck and nods at Sam and Rebecca.


	6. Chapter 6

Sam is sitting in Rebecca's living room the next morning, telling her a little more about what he and his brother and sister actually do. Dean has gone to pick up Maria from the hospital; she was discharged at 10 AM. Rebecca and Sam walk outside, having heard the Impala pull up in front of Rebecca's house.

"So, this is what you do? You and your brother and sister—you hunt down these kinds of things?" Rebecca asks, still trying to come to terms with it all.

"Yeah, pretty much," Sam replies, watching Dean help Maria out of the front seat of the Impala and into the back. She's a little unsteady on her feet, but she looks and feels much better.

"I can't believe it," Rebecca states. "I mean, I saw it with my own eyes. And, I mean, does everybody at school—nobody knows that you do this?"

"No."

"Did Jessica know?" Rebecca asks cautiously. Sam looks thoughtful for a moment before answering.

"No, she didn't."

"Must be lonely," Rebecca muses.

"Oh, no. No, it's not so bad. Anyway, what can I do? It's my family," Sam replies. Rebecca laughs.

"Well, you know, Zack and me, and everybody at school—we really miss you," she says, hugging him.

"Yeah, me too," Sam replies sadly as they pull away from the hug.

"Well, will you call sometime?"

"It might not be for a little while," Sam replies. Rebecca nods and waves to Dean and Maria. They wave back and Rebecca goes back inside the house. Sam walks over to the car and leans in the back window.

"You know, I don't have the monopoly on the front seat, Maria," Sam says with a smile. "You can sit up there if you want."

"No, that's okay. I prefer the back. It's easier to sleep back here," Maria replies with a small smile. Sam grins at his older sister and sits down in the front seat. "I hate that I missed the hunt. Damn shifter. So, Sammy, what about your friend Zack?"

"Cops are blamin' this Dean Winchester guy for Emily's murder. They found the murder weapon in the guy's lair, Zack's clothes stained with her blood. Now they're thinking maybe the surveillance tape was tampered with. Yeah, Becca says Zack will be released soon," Sam says, smiling. Dean rolls his eyes and starts the car. They drive for a few minutes in silence before Dean speaks to Sam.

"Sorry, man."

"About what?"

"I really wish things could be different, you know?" Dean replies. "I wish you could just be…Joe College."

"No, that's okay," Sam replies. "You know, the truth is, even at Stanford, deep down, I never really fit in."

"Well, that's 'cause you're a freak," Maria says. Sam looks at her in the rearview mirror and smiles slightly, glad her sense of humor wasn't knocked out of her.

"Yeah, thanks, Maria," Sam says.

"Well, me and Dean are freaks, too," Maria says simply. "We're right there with ya, all the way."

"Yeah, I know you are," Sam says with a laugh. He pauses, thinking. "Hey, Maria?"

"Yeah?"

"What did the doctors say?"

"Oh. They just said I have a bad concussion," Maria replies. "I tried to tell them I've had worse, but I don't think they believed me."

"Are you feeling okay?" Dean asks her.

"Yeah, I guess. Just a little nauseous."

"If you puke in my Baby, I don't care how bad your concussion is. I'll make it worse," Dean says playfully, but Maria knows he's probably serious.

"Nobody's puking in your Baby today, Dean. Don't worry," Maria smiles.

"Good," Dean says with relief. "Oh, I tried calling Dad and telling him that you were in the hospital. I left a message, but he never called me back."

"I'm not surprised," Maria replies disappointedly. "I'm sure he's busy doing his own thing."

"He shouldn't be too busy for his daughter that was in the hospital," Sam says angrily. "We're his children, and he's too busy for us?"

"Sammy, don't," Maria says tiredly. "My head hurts and I'm too tired for any arguments about Dad right now."

"I'm sorry, Maria. It's just—"

"I know," Maria says. "It's okay. I know what you mean. I'm a little disappointed, too. But it's Daddy. And I know he has his reasons for doing what he's doing. He always does. We just have to trust him."

"You know, I gotta say," Dean begins, sorry he brought up the subject of their dad. "I'm sorry I'm gonna miss it."

"Miss what?" Sam and Maria say in unison.

"How many chances am I gonna have to see my own funeral?" Dean grins at his younger siblings. Maria and Sam both grin back as they drive on to the next town.


End file.
